Cox's Study of 300 (301) Eminent
Geniuses born from 1450 to 1850, including Flynn Effect Calculations, listed
alphabetically and by descending IQ

The Cox IQ data were taken from column 25 "Corrected IQ estimate"; "AII"
of Table 12A in Volume II: The Early Mental Traits of Three Hundred
Geniuses by Catharine M. Cox from Genetic Studies of Genius
edited by Lewis M. Terman. Copyright 1926, Stanford University Press. (Data
taken from the third printing January, 1959. I have seen no evidence that
the Cox study was ever revised past 1926.)

The Intelligence Quotient scores are on the Stanford-Binet scale. The
scores listed are based on biographical data (including school rankings,
anecdotes, works written, etc.) from data up to 26 years of age (and corrected
to counter a regression towards the mean).

According to Cox, "The correction attempted in the present report is
a crude approximation...: it indicates a point below which the true IQ
probably did not fall." (p. 52) and "The resultant approximations are probably
in most cases still too low, and perhaps, in a few cases, a trifle too
high. The final correction is thus no more than an approximation
to a true score." (p.83).

With a study this old, the Flynn Effect has to be taken into account
if one wants to realistically compare one's IQ score with that of the people on the list.
IQ tests have had to be revised several times. The average score is always
supposed to be 100. But as time passes, new generations start to get higher
scores on the older tests. There are various hypotheses to explain this
including improved nutritional and environmental factors. The Flynn Effect
numbers are given on a 15 point standard deviation scale (the Stanford-Binet
uses 16 S.D.). Depending on the developed country, there is a steady IQ
gain of 5 to 25 points per generation (30 years), with a median of about
15 points. (James R. Flynn, Massive IQ Gains in 14 Nations: What IQ
Tests Really Measure, Psychological Bulletin, 1987, Vol. 101, No.
2, pp. 171-191. For more details click here.) This means that perfectly average
modern kids have gotten 'genius' scores on old IQ tests.

The gains are not just for average people. For example, looking at a
Dutch 1952 IQ test given to 18 year old military recruits, 0.04% got scores
of 150 and above in 1952, whereas in 1982, 2.27% achieved that level. The
ratio is 57 to 1.

Now, specifically for the Stanford-Binet Test (in the U.S.), there has
been a gain of about 0.3 IQ points per year. This is lower than the approximately
0.5 median gain for other IQ tests in other developed countries. Converted
to the corresponding 16 S.D., the gain is 0.32. To make the correction
we can calculate the effect from 1916 to the year 1986 (years of the original
and current versions of the Stanford-Binet test). So the calculation is
(1986-1916)*0.32 =22 IQ points, if rounded.

The IQs of 301 Eminent
Geniuses according to Cox (1926) along with their Flynn Effect corrections.

Alphabetical

Name

Adult IQ

IQ with Flynn Effect

By Descending IQ

Name

Adult IQ

IQ with Flynn Effect

Adams. J.Q.

175

153

Goethe

210

188

Adams, J.

155

133

Leibniz (Leibnitz)

205

183

Addison

165

143

Grotius

200

178

Agassiz

175

153

Wolsey

200

178

Ait Weil Zade

155

133

Pascal

195

173

Alberoni

145

123

Sarpi

195

173

Alfieri

160

138

Arnauld

190

168

Anderson, H.C.

145

123

Berkeley

190

168

Andrewes

160

138

Haller

190

168

Arago

180

158

Laplace

190

168

Ariosto

160

138

Melanchthon

190

168

Arnauld

190

168

Newton

190

168

Atterbury

170

148

Pitt (the Younger)

190

168

Bach

165

143

Schelling

190

168

Bacon

180

158

Voltaire

190

168

Bailly

180

158

Campanella

185

163

Balzac

155

133

Comte

185

163

Baxter

155

133

D'Alembert

185

163

Bayle

165

143

Davy

185

163

Beaumarchais

165

143

Galileo

185

163

Beethoven

165

143

Gassendi

185

163

Bentham

180

158

Humboldt, A.

185

163

Bentley

170

148

Lagrange

185

163

Beranger (Béranger)

155

133

Leopardi

185

163

Berkeley

190

168

Mirabeau

185

163

Bernadotte

140

118

Niebuhr

185

163

Berzelius

160

138

Arago

180

158

Beza

165

143

Bacon

180

158

Bichat

175

153

Bailly

180

158

Blake. H.

150

128

Bentham

180

158

Blucher (Blücher)

145

123

Bossuet

180

158

Boerhaave

165

143

Brougham

180

158

Bolivar

155

133

Byron

180

158

Bossuet

180

158

Chatterton

180

158

Boyle

160

138

Condorcet

180

158

Bright

150

128

Cousin

180

158

Bronte, C. (Brönte, C.)

165

143

da Vinci

180

158

Brougham

180

158

Descartes

180

158

Buffon

175

153

Dickens

180

158

Bulwer

155

133

Erasmus

180

158

Bunsen

175

153

Fenelon (Fénelon)

180

158

Bunyan

160

138

Gibbon

180

158

Burke

165

143

Harvey

180

158

Burnet

165

143

Hugo

180

158

Burns

150

128

Hume

180

158

Byron

180

158

Liebig

180

158

Calderon (Calderón)

170

148

Malebranche

180

158

Calvin

175

153

Michelangelo

180

158

Campanella

185

163

Mill, J.S.

180

158

Canning

165

143

Milton

180

158

Canope

170

148

Musset

180

158

Canova

160

138

Oersted, H.C.

180

158

Cardan

175

153

Peel

180

158

Carlyle

165

143

Pope

180

158

Carnot

170

148

Scaliger, J. J.

180

158

Cavour

160

138

Stael (Staël)

180

158

Cervantes

155

133

Tasso

180

158

Chalmers

170

148

Adams. J.Q.

175

153

Channing

160

138

Agassiz

175

153

Chateaubriand

160

138

Bichat

175

153

Chatterton

180

158

Buffon

175

153

Chesterfield

160

138

Bunsen

175

153

Claredon

160

138

Calvin

175

153

Clarke,S.

160

138

Cardan

175

153

Clive

140

118

Coleridge

175

153

Cobbett

150

128

Cuvier

175

153

Cobden

155

133

Gay-Lussac

175

153

Coleridge

175

153

Humboldt W.

175

153

Comte

185

163

Huygens

175

153

Condorcet

180

158

Jonson, B.

175

153

Constant

170

148

Kant

175

153

Cook, J.

160

138

Kepler

175

153

Copernicus

160

138

Lamennais

175

153

Corneille

160

138

Macaulay

175

153

Cortez

140

118

Southey, R.

175

153

Cousin

180

158

Spenser

175

153

Cowper

160

138

Spinoza

175

153

Cranmer

165

143

Thou

175

153

Cromwell

135

113

Vega, de

175

153

Cuvier

175

153

Wolf. F. A.

175

153

da Vinci

180

158

Atterbury

170

148

D'Alembert

185

163

Bentley

170

148

Danton

155

133

Calderon (Calderón)

170

148

Darwin

165

143

Canope

170

148

Davy

185

163

Carnot

170

148

DeFoe

165

143

Chalmers

170

148

Descartes

180

158

Constant

170

148

Dickens

180

158

Dumas, A.

170

148

Diderot

165

143

Faraday

170

148

Disraeli

165

143

Fichte

170

148

Drake

130

108

Hamilton, W.

170

148

Dryden

160

138

Handel

170

148

Dumas, A.

170

148

Irving. W.

170

148

Dupin

160

138

Kotzebue

170

148

Durer (Dürer)

155

133

Lavoisier

170

148

Eliot, G. (Mary Ann Evans)

160

138

Livingstone, D.

170

148

Emerson

155

133

Longfellow

170

148

Erasmus

180

158

Luther

170

148

Etienne (Étienne)

160

138

Marat

170

148

Faraday

170

148

Metastasio

170

148

Farragut

135

113

Napier

170

148

Fenelon (Fénelon)

180

158

Penn

170

148

Fichte

170

148

Racine

170

148

Fielding

165

143

Raphael

170

148

Fouche (Fouché)

165

143

Renan

170

148

Fox, G. J.

155

133

Reuchlin

170

148

Fox, George

155

133

Robespierre

170

148

Franklin, B.

160

138

Smith, A.

170

148

Franklin, J.

150

128

Strauss

170

148

Fulton, R.

155

133

Tennyson

170

148

Galileo

185

163

Turgot

170

148

Gambetta, L.M.

155

133

Velasquez

170

148

Garibaldi

140

118

Vergniaud

170

148

Garrison, W.L.

145

123

Wagner

170

148

Gaskell, E.C.S.

160

138

Wieland

170

148

Gassendi

185

163

Addison

165

143

Gay-Lussac

175

153

Bach

165

143

Gibbon

180

158

Bayle

165

143

Gluck

145

123

Beaumarchais

165

143

Goethe

210

188

Beethoven

165

143

Goldsmith

135

113

Beza

165

143

Grant

130

108

Boerhaave

165

143

Grimm, J. L.

160

138

Bronte, C. (Brönte, C.)

165

143

Grote

160

138

Burke

165

143

Grotius

200

178

Burnet

165

143

Guicciardini

165

143

Canning

165

143

Guizot

165

143

Carlyle

165

143

Haller

190

168

Cranmer

165

143

Hamilton, W.

170

148

Darwin

165

143

Hamilton. A.

155

133

DeFoe

165

143

Handel

170

148

Diderot

165

143

Harvey

180

158

Disraeli

165

143

Hastings

165

143

Fielding

165

143

Hawthorne, N.

155

133

Fouche (Fouché)

165

143

Haydn

160

138

Guicciardini

165

143

Hegel

165

143

Guizot

165

143

Heine

165

143

Hastings

165

143

Helvetius

160

138

Hegel

165

143

Herder

165

143

Heine

165

143

Herschel, W.

165

143

Herder

165

143

Hobbes

165

143

Herschel, W.

165

143

Hogarth

145

123

Hobbes

165

143

Holberg, L. von

165

143

Holberg, L. von

165

143

Hugo

180

158

Jenner

165

143

Humboldt W.

175

153

Johnson

165

143

Humboldt, A.

185

163

Klopstock

165

143

Hume

180

158

Law

165

143

Hunter

160

138

Linnaeus

165

143

Huygens

175

153

Locke

165

143

Irving. W.

170

148

Mazzini

165

143

Jackson. A.

145

123

Mendelssohn

165

143

Jansen

160

138

Montaigne

165

143

Jefferson

160

138

Montesquieu

165

143

Jenner

165

143

Mozart

165

143

Johnson

165

143

Newman, J.H.

165

143

Jonson, B.

175

153

Priestley

165

143

Kant

175

153

Raleigh

165

143

Kepler

175

153

Robertson

165

143

Klopstock

165

143

Sainte-Beuve

165

143

Kotzebue

170

148

Schiller

165

143

La Fontaine

155

133

Scott

165

143

Lagrange

185

163

Shaftesbury

165

143

Lamartine

160

138

Sheridan, R. B.

165

143

Lamennais

175

153

St. Simon

165

143

Laplace

190

168

Swedenborg

165

143

Lavoisier

170

148

Tieck

165

143

Law

165

143

Watt. J.

165

143

Lee, R.E.

140

118

Weber

165

143

Leibniz (Leibnitz)

205

183

Webster

165

143

Leopardi

185

163

Winckelmann

165

143

Lessing

160

138

Wordsworth

165

143

L'Hopital (L'Hôpital)

160

138

Zwingli

165

143

Liebig

180

158

Alfieri

160

138

Lincoln

150

128

Andrewes

160

138

Linnaeus

165

143

Ariosto

160

138

Livingstone, D.

170

148

Berzelius

160

138

Locke

165

143

Boyle

160

138

Longfellow

170

148

Bunyan

160

138

Luther

170

148

Canova

160

138

Macaulay

175

153

Cavour

160

138

Madison

160

138

Channing

160

138

Maintenon

155

133

Chateaubriand

160

138

Malebranche

180

158

Chesterfield

160

138

Marat

170

148

Claredon

160

138

Marlborough

145

123

Clarke,S.

160

138

Marmont

150

128

Cook, J.

160

138

Martineau, H.

160

138

Copernicus

160

138

Massena (Masséna)

125

103

Corneille

160

138

Mazarin

160

138

Cowper

160

138

Mazzini

165

143

Dryden

160

138

Meheme Ali

145

123

Dupin

160

138

Melanchthon

190

168

Eliot, G. (Mary Ann Evans)

160

138

Mendelssohn

165

143

Etienne (Étienne)

160

138

Metastasio

170

148

Franklin, B.

160

138

Michelangelo

180

158

Gaskell, E.C.S.

160

138

Mill, J.S.

180

158

Grimm, J. L.

160

138

Miller, Hugh

155

133

Grote

160

138

Milton

180

158

Haydn

160

138

Mirabeau

185

163

Helvetius

160

138

Molière

160

138

Hunter

160

138

Monk

140

118

Jansen

160

138

Montaigne

165

143

Jefferson

160

138

Montesquieu

165

143

Lamartine

160

138

Moore

150

128

Lessing

160

138

More

155

133

L'Hopital (L'Hôpital)

160

138

Moreau

145

123

Madison

160

138

Mozart

165

143

Martineau, H.

160

138

Murat

135

113

Mazarin

160

138

Murillo

150

128

Molière

160

138

Musset

180

158

Richelieu

160

138

Napier

170

148

Rubens

160

138

Napoleon

145

123

Sand

160

138

Necker

155

133

Schleiermacher

160

138

Nelson

150

128

Sevigne (Sévigné)

160

138

Newman, J.H.

165

143

Sumner, C.

160

138

Newton

190

168

Thiers

160

138

Ney

135

113

Wesley

160

138

Niebuhr

185

163

Adams, J.

155

133

O'Connell

155

133

Ait Weil Zade

155

133

Oersted, H.C.

180

158

Balzac

155

133

Palestrina

155

133

Baxter

155

133

Pascal

195

173

Beranger (Béranger)

155

133

Peel

180

158

Bolivar

155

133

Penn

170

148

Bulwer

155

133

Pitt (the Elder)

155

133

Cervantes

155

133

Pitt (the Younger)

190

168

Cobden

155

133

Pope

180

158

Danton

155

133

Poussin

145

123

Durer (Dürer)

155

133

Prescott

155

133

Emerson

155

133

Priestley

165

143

Fox, G. J.

155

133

Racine

170

148

Fox, George

155

133

Raleigh

165

143

Fulton, R.

155

133

Raphael

170

148

Gambetta, L.M.

155

133

Rembrandt

155

133

Hamilton. A.

155

133

Renan

170

148

Hawthorne, N.

155

133

Reuchlin

170

148

La Fontaine

155

133

Reynolds

145

123

Maintenon

155

133

Richelieu

160

138

Miller, Hugh

155

133

Robertson

165

143

More

155

133

Robespierre

170

148

Necker

155

133

Rossini

145

123

O'Connell

155

133

Rousseau

150

128

Palestrina

155

133

Rubens

160

138

Pitt (the Elder)

155

133

Sainte-Beuve

165

143

Prescott

155

133

Sand

160

138

Rembrandt

155

133

Sarpi

195

173

Savonarola

155

133

Savonarola

155

133

Seward

155

133

Scaliger, J. J.

180

158

Swift

155

133

Schelling

190

168

Temple. W

155

133

Schiller

165

143

Van Dyck

155

133

Schleiermacher

160

138

Walpole

155

133

Scott

165

143

Warburton

155

133

Sevigne (Sévigné)

160

138

Wilberforce

155

133

Seward

155

133

Blake. H.

150

128

Shaftesbury

165

143

Bright

150

128

Sheridan, P.H.

135

113

Burns

150

128

Sheridan, R. B.

165

143

Cobbett

150

128

Sherman

145

123

Franklin, J.

150

128

Smith, A.

170

148

Lincoln

150

128

Soult

150

128

Marmont

150

128

Southey, R.

175

153

Moore

150

128

Spenser

175

153

Murillo

150

128

Spinoza

175

153

Nelson

150

128

St. Cyr

135

113

Rousseau

150

128

St. Simon

165

143

Soult

150

128

Stael (Staël)

180

158

Thackeray

150

128

Strauss

170

148

Wilkes

150

128

Sumner, C.

160

138

Alberoni

145

123

Swedenborg

165

143

Anderson, H.C.

145

123

Swift

155

133

Blucher (Blücher)

145

123

Tasso

180

158

Garrison, W.L.

145

123

Temple. W

155

133

Gluck

145

123

Tennyson

170

148

Hogarth

145

123

Thackeray

150

128

Jackson. A.

145

123

Thiers

160

138

Marlborough

145

123

Thou

175

153

Meheme Ali

145

123

Tieck

165

143

Moreau

145

123

Turgot

170

148

Napoleon

145

123

Van Dyck

155

133

Poussin

145

123

Vauban

140

118

Reynolds

145

123

Vega, de

175

153

Rossini

145

123

Velasquez

170

148

Sherman

145

123

Vergniaud

170

148

Bernadotte

140

118

Voltaire

190

168

Clive

140

118

Wagner

170

148

Cortez

140

118

Wallenstein

135

113

Garibaldi

140

118

Walpole

155

133

Lee, R.E.

140

118

Warburton

155

133

Monk

140

118

Washington

140

118

Vauban

140

118

Watt. J.

165

143

Washington

140

118

Weber

165

143

Cromwell

135

113

Webster

165

143

Farragut

135

113

Wesley

160

138

Goldsmith

135

113

Wieland

170

148

Murat

135

113

Wilberforce

155

133

Ney

135

113

Wilkes

150

128

Sheridan, P.H.

135

113

Winckelmann

165

143

St. Cyr

135

113

Wolf. F. A.

175

153

Wallenstein

135

113

Wolsey

200

178

Drake

130

108

Wordsworth

165

143

Grant

130

108

Zwingli

165

143

Massena (Masséna)

125

103

When you look at the Cox 300 geniuses list, you should really be looking at the
Flynn Effect corrected scores and not the original IQ score estimates if you want
to compare yourself to the Eminent Geniuses. If you have old IQ scores, you might
want to do your own Flynn Effect calculations. I realize that these calculations
shrink the pedestal that we keep the Eminent Geniuses on, but at least it should
give more of you hope that you might be able to accomplish important things (as
long as you are also gifted with creativity or perseverance or whatever other factors
contribute to grand achievements).

As to comparing the IQs of people in earlier centuries to modern people, it is legitimate
insofar as one can be objective and understand the sources of error. Terman (and
Cox) undoubtedly had norming data on how much of the alphabet modern children knew
at certain ages, when they started to read, do sums, understand concepts, etcetera.
They also presumably had data on the intelligence adults needed to achieve certain
levels of education, among other things. So Cox et al. researched what her 300 eminent
people had achieved at certain ages and assigned IQ scores accordingly. Cox was
well aware that the accuracy of the estimates decreased when the quality or quantity
of the biographical information available to her and her colleagues was low.